Blog Project

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Perfect Blue

While presenting perplex symbolism in its discussion of consumerism and media expansion in modern Japanese society, Perfect Blue represents the unique and consistent artistic value of Satoshi Kon in elaborating a visually riven rather than dialectical driven cinematic narrative in his production of animated films, as it concisely illustrates the subtle theme presented throughout the cinematic product.

Particularly, an abstract concept that Perfect Blue consistently visualizes and emphasizes is the anxiety of being watched. From the cameras in Mima’s idol concert that idealizes Mima as this pure, innocent idol figure, to the glimpse from the production crews at the filming scene that belittles Mima as an insignificant new actress, to cameras at Mima’s rape scene and photograph booth that portrays Mima as a subject of consumable sexuality, to the obsessive stare of Me-mania that views Mima as his private subject, consistent actions of watching and observing is emphasized throughout the film, as they provide visual symbolization of the omnipresent surveillance in the age of hypermedia, where such surveillance, creeping into every corner of the private life of individuals through the voluntary representation in the mass media, becomes the foundation of the textualization of individual identity, as Mima in the film is reduced or anesthetized from a living, natural man to an avatar that is subjugated to others’ desire, leading to her existential dread of how her selfhood is not consistent to herself. Such idea of subjective dread from being watched is also presented in small details in the film, such as how Mima keeps the curtain in front of her room windows closed throughout the film, as a measure in preventing others in peeking into her physical room and her private mental state that constitutes her grasp of selfhood; or how the several victims of Mima/Rumi’s murder have their eyes blinded, symbolizing an hatred or fear for being observed and watched.               

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Death Parade

So I have heard of a lot of good things about Death Parade, and I am glad we have the chance to view this show for this semester. The four episodes of the series, while presenting the basic elements of the show, certainly present interesting perspectives that certainly worth discussions. 

Throughout the four episodes, the constant discussion of morality and human emotion is interesting. And it is also the driven conflict between Chiyuki and Decim that pushes the story/character development throughout the series. Is it true, that an absolute moral code arbitrating one’s behavior can be the measure of one’s nature and the value? Such doubt is most explicitly presented in episode 9, where the audiences are presented with the extreme cases of absolute morality in both the reality and the afterlife world of Quindecim. On one hand, the detective, different from Shimata, is driven not solely by his anger and grief but also a transcended manic for private justice, that he himself takes as an absolute code of morality of cause and effect, which leads him into committing the atrocity and ultimately enrages Shimata into revenge against himself, thus fulfilling his own moral code. On the other hand, Chiyuki certainly protests the absolute and cruel method of Decim in emotionally encouraging the judged to engage in hideous act as any proof of one’s value and character, especially in the total disregard of human emotion. The series seems to take on a humanistic perspective in viewing the ambiguity of morality where it challenges the idea of absolute moral code, though at the end of the series it certainly did not provide any clue regarding the alternative. 

Additionally, the series also spends length in discussing the meaning of life through the lens of existentialism. A commonality between several characters in their view of the meaning of life, from Decim in his equal respect for those who live through their life in the end no matter how their life looks like, to Mayu in protesting about how her choice itself constitutes the meaning of her life, to Chiyuki’s reckon with Decim, a explicit idea of the self-determined meaning of life and the transcendent value of life in both the joy and the suffer despite its apparent vanity is presented throughout the series. Similar to Nietzsche’s idea of Ubermensch, the series, through its consistent discussion in criticizing absolute and arbitrary morality, emphasizes a self-eccentric and to some degree subjective orientation in evaluating morality and one’s value, where a positive nihilism is presented, as the value of life can be determined even in the face of vanity and apparent meaninglessness of life. 

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Violet Evergarden

So, I watched the series when it came out, mainly due to how impressive the graphics is and the effort Kyoani put in to deliver such an excellent production. And I actually enjoyed the series even though I don’t really find the original novel to be anything relatable or interesting. Nevertheless, in short Violet Evergarden is a story about Violet Evergarden, an orphan girl raised and trained in the military for the sole purpose to kill, recovers from her lost in the war and reclaim her humanity and love for others in working as a auto-memory doll after the war. The series thus focuses mainly on how Violet, through her conflict with the ordinary people, in an effort to understand the subtle emotion and recovers from her post-war trauma. While the story is pretty straightforward, some point worth mentioning is how the series constantly display the obvious contrast between the emotionlessness of Violet, as a result of institutional subjecgation of Violet as a weapon of war, and her latter emotional struggle as a result of her genuine interaction with the community through her work. This dichotomy is in my opinion serves as an idealized, if not simplified, illustration of motif of nature nurture argument

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Sensoron

Kobayashi as a mangaist who begins his career with comedic manga is renown for his controversial take on Imperial Japan Military expansion and colonialism in East Asia and his fringe right-wing political prospective. ParticularIy in his the manga Sensoron, Kobayashi presents a series of direct political message, backed by plentiful of evidences and some rationales, that questions the legitimacy of Nuremberg trial and post-war Japan westernization through the lens of historical revisionism. While Kobayashi’s message is controversial and insensitive at least, arrogant and biased for certain, this text does provide some interesting insights.

Sensoron spends length criticizing sensationalism presented in the portraying the humanistic crisis committed by Imperial Japanese Army during WW2 in post-war Japanese media and education system, particularly the graphic depiction and death toll of the Rape of Nanking. To be honest, you have to say that Kobayashi presents some compelling evidences with thoroughly researched context and rationales, which I have to give him credit for. And as a Chinese I will have to agree with him  to an extend on how China particularly exaggerates the Japanese war crimes in WW2 to a surreal extend that the term of Japanese (along with American) often becomes the scapegoat for Chinese government as justifiable demand of apology from Japan out of historical concerns becomes destructive nationalistic if not imperialistic sentiment prevalent in the social atmosphere in China. However, the sentiment presented throughout the text and the argument Kobayashi given in defending or more precisely attempting to exonerate Japan Imperial Army from the crimes committed across East Asia that is recorded by both the Imperial Japan and the Republic of China authority is simply unsightly, as they are not only biased, but also in his word disseminated where the Kobayashi aimed not to merely share skeptical view but rather create a certain narrative. As argued by Foucault that “discourse is the power”, it is fair to say that what lays in the heart of yellow journalism, historical revisionism, state propaganda, and whatever critics in counter in the age of mass media circulation, is always to gain the power or the narrative of the subject. 

Also, Kobayashi certainly expresses his discontent and anxiety regarding the prevalent individualism or westernization in Japan, as he clearly attribute the increasing individualism/consumerism to the post-war education system and anti-war narrative that is influenced by the American occupation. In addition, Kobayashi also expresses his anxiety regarding the atomization of contemporary Japanese society as the result of the gradual dissolution of the economic and cultural grand narrative of Japan. This could particularly contribute his pro-nationalistic political view as commented by Azuma, it is a remembrance or an attempt to revive the grand narrative in the age of post-modernity.    

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Hetalia

As a web anime and comic series without particular linear narrative or even a central theme, the Hetalia Axis Power, personifying nations and history with comedic approach with some elements of BL content, provides an interesting perspective.

Relating to Annette’s world conflict, as the article argued, the Hetalia Axis Power can be a great example of animation in the age of database consumption. Particularly, while the web anime apparently has no sophisticated theme or developed linear narrative driven the story, the web animation series greatly reflects what Annette called “content industry”, in which, different from traditional media product, relies on fannish consumption node thus fandom based consumption market in multi-media platform. And the actualization of this content consumption industry is achieved in the careful combination of moe elements prevalent in yaoi content that stimulates imaginations of the virtual potential with certain historical and cultural cues and stereotypes in the series that can draw connectable cliches for the fans. This reminds me how similar phenomenon is presented in Girls and Panzer, in which again moe elements is combined with geopolitical, historical and military reference, relatively detailed presentation of WW1 and WW2 armored vehicles, creating a perfect balance of moe-element based narrative of the story and amplified comedic effect based on its detailed historical context.       

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Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Despite choppy or rigid animation of the cut scene, and lack of context between each cut scene as you see new characters make their appearance from nowhere, the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 as a JRPG project certainly provides audiences with a sincerely written story concerning the relation between man and nature. 

Particularly, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, in its worldview setting of “human” or more broadly sapien species in relation to titans and blades, presents the challenge faced by modern civilizations, thus the diminishing natural resources, living spaces, and sustainable environments aggravated if not caused by expansion of civilizations. As presented in Rex’s visit in Idoline Praetorium, where it was explained that the aggressive expansion and acquisition of natural resources is driven mainly by the massive population growth, it resembles with the historical analysis presented in the article, which argued that the trajectory of modern civilization is the inevitable choice between intensify or starve. And the inevitability of the human modern paradigm driven civilizations to continue the exploitation of natural resources in unrestricted intensity, ultimately lead the civilizations in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 again back to the seemingly unavoidable fate of devastation, leading Rex to seek the Elysium as the solution to the current crisis. 

Additionally, the truth and the solution found by Rex in his journey is holistic. As it was revealed at the end of the game that Titan, blades, and sapien species are by nature evolved from the same nature cycle, the finding not only presents a point of compromise between the civilized sapien species and the blades, but also resembles the deep ecology ontology discussed in the article, thus the shift from Cartesian dualism in modernity to the reclamation of the genuine humanity lost in the linear historical progress symbolized by Rex’s return to the “Eden”, that is the naturally landmass under the cloud sea.  

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Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

“You may live to see man made horrors beyond your comprehension.”

-Nikola Tesla

I have a high regard and respect for movies from Studio Ghibli, and I hope to watch them all eventually. This is the first time I’ve viewed Studio Ghibli, and they lived up to their reputation with Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, an inventive and piece that any viewer can tell is created for the love of the art and not for the money. 

The main protagonist is Nausicaä, the princess of the Valley of the Wind. Her happy homecoming with Lord Yupa illustrates how in the thousand year aftermath of the seven days of fire, humanity has lost its industrial and aggressively capitalistic foundation system, and The Valley of the Wind is very much a gemeinschaft, with the people respecting and cooperating with each other. A hierarchy exists, since Nausicaä and her father are monarchs, but this monarchy is idealistic, her father being a gentle king, our heroine being a calm and loving princess. This image rejects the industrial society we have built, giving an example of a true community in which people flourish. 

The true message of the film, however, comes through with the fact that the beautiful Valley of the Wind is under constant threat by the toxic jungle. The world-building here is particularly excellent, as insects are its main inhabitants. Insects are the most diverse and abundant group of animals on earth, and it would make sense that they would become dominant animals after the seven days of fire, since many species can even survive nuclear explosions. There is a testament to the intricacy and unknowable contents of nature, as Nausicaä discovers that these insects are not aggressive animals, but protecting the forest that needs ample time to renew itself. Another contribution to this theme is the mysterious Ohm. With their feelers, they revealed to Nausicaä that the Pejite pilot was still alive. They do the same thing to resuscitate Nausicaä. It is never explained how they are able to do this, and that is why it is humbling to the human species. Although we are able to make such bounds and learn so much, there are some mysteries of this planet that we cannot solve, and questions that don’t need to be answered. 

Humanity’s hubris rears its ugly head through the Tolmekians (less so, but still, through the Pejites). The Tolmekians masked their ambitions of conquest under those of unification, as many powers have in our own time. Furthermore, they ignore the patterns that humanity has seen. They are aware that the giant warrior was something wrong in the cosmic sense, they were a result of human arrogance and had scorched the earth as a consequence, and yet the Tolmekians believed that they were somehow better, that they could do what ancient humans could not. It is interesting that while the Valley of the Wind uses futuristic gliders, the Pejites their unique flying craft, the Tolmekian aircraft all looks very antique. They even look a little antique to us, more like World War II aircraft than the sleek fighter jets we have now. They are also notoriously flimsy, foreshadowing that Tolmekian brute strength is a delicate facade, as when things turn, their soldiers do as well, deserting. 

Thus, the overarching message of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is environmentalism, but not in the “paper-straw sense”. It reminds us of the consequences of our actions not in the way seeing a dead seabird does, but in the way that seeing an entire city ravaged by a storm does. It doesn’t make us think of the dodo bird, but of the passenger pigeon. This makes the message far more chilling, that although we may seem the dominant species, we are bound to nature’s whims. Thus, we must not concern ourselves with petty, artificial arguments such as the control of kingdoms. A respectful understanding of nature and its laws is the only way we can ensure the survival of our species far into the future. 

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While I agree with you on the message in general especially the discussion of how human nature never change reflected in the Tolmekians’ aggression, the background setting of the film is limited within the scope of the film, that I think is not able to convey the message Miysaki trying to express regarding environmentalism and historical progression of human nature through the work of Valley of the Wind in totality. 

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Valley of the Wind

Again we are brought to another animation film by Miyasaki. Similar to the previous film Spirited Away, the theme of man vs “nature” and the discussion of the consequence of human nature presented in the industrial age at the expense of sustainable environmental development are the focus of the post-apocalyptic film. However, different from his critic of consumerism in Spirited Away or his message of sustainable industrial development in harmony of nature in Mononoke Hime, the problem of “environmentalism” presented in Nausicaa of Valley of the Wind, one of the earliest film by Miyasaki based on the first part of Miyasaki’s manga series, is much more fundamental as the woes of the Earth and the conflict with the toxic jungle is not a product of a single particular aspect of human society but the accumulation of the whole human malice and “kind actions”. While in the film, the explicit conflict developed throughout the film is how to coexist with the “nature” represented by toxic jungle and the insects. However, beyond this explicit conflict which is limited to the scope of the film not the actual whole series Miyasaki produced, an implicit conflict developed is how human arrogance, abuse of power lead to devastation. Similar to how human tried to use the power of the colossus to erase the toxic jungle, or use the insects in the tactics of war, the self-devastating tendency of mankind in committing unlimited atrocities in the name of either pure malice or righteous narrative stays consistent not only within the scope of the film, but also within the actual entire Valley of the Wind story as well.         

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True Otaku: The Documentary

First of all, I think it is quite interesting what the term “otaku” means for people in the United States and how this term evolved from its original usage in Japan. An interviewee in the documentary pointed out that in Japan, the word “otaku” means a hardcore fan and could be applied to any type of fan. In the west however, people have come to associate otaku exclusively with fans of anime and manga. It has been pointed out as well that “otaku” is more of a derogatory word in Japan due to the Otaku Murderer incident in the 1980s. Over here, there are still some negative images of the otaku, but the word “otaku” itself isn’t used as much as a derogatory word compared to in Japan.

The documentary points out that Otakon serves as a place where people with interests in anime and manga come together and form a community. The convention allows people to make new friends through their interests and to participate together in activities without being judged continually by those around them. I thought this community of acceptance is similar to what we saw in Genshiken. We saw Sasahara having confidence in approaching doujinshi booths at Comiket as he realizes that those around him are the same as him. Otakon being a place where people can express their inner fantasies through cosplay, in particular, cross-play is similar to Hato (in Genshiken as well). Like Madarame accepting Hato’s cross-dressing, the community in Otakon seems accepting towards the different types of cosplay present there.

The cosplays in Otakon relate to our previous readings on the otaku. When asked about what it means for participants to cosplay, some say that it is something that allows one to be someone other than himself/herself and to bring fiction to reality, while others say that it is a way to interpret characters. In any case, these cosplays show that otaku produce simulacra in order to “own” the unownable fiction, as argued by Saito. This, of course, is similar to what we saw in Genshiken. Regarding the creation of costumes, we can liken Iris (Dustbunny) to Ohno. Both of them put much effort into creating their own cosplays. On a side note, I found it interesting how such creations involve so much work and can teach one many new skills. Iris says that she researches characters through different websites before creating her outfit. I thought of this as the continuation of creating simulacra through other simulacra. Before I move on, something I’d like to point out is the fact that there were stormtroopers present in Otakon. From my past experience, there are definitely a lot of people who cosplay as characters from western media. I don’t think I saw any in Genshiken, so that could be a difference between here and in Japan, but that might not be the case in real life.

Although Otakon is a place where people aren’t judged by the general public, it certainly is interesting how some cosplayers decide to put themselves in a position to be judged by a panel of judges through entering a cosplay competition. Iris mentions that the competition is not only a way to gain attention, but to gain recognition. I thought this relates in a way to Fiske’s discussion on fandom. Winning the competition requires a thorough understanding of not only the characters being represented, but the skills needed to create the cosplay. Thus, by winning it, cosplayers can signal to others their rich knowledge and gain status within the fandom. It’s also worthy to point out that cosplay competitions are held in Japan as well.

Finally, otaku here are similar to those in Japan in that they spend a lot on anime and manga merchandise. A good deal of people in the documentary say that they spend a lot while at the convention. I have to admit, even I do spend a lot on merchandise as well.

Even though I thought this documentary is quite entertaining and informative, I think it focused too much on cosplays. It would have been even more informative if the documentary included other things such as fanart and doujinshi.

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Agree on how the contest can connect to Fiske’s idea of fandom and cultural capital within popular culture fandom. And I think one thing different for Western Otaku is how they do not have the same fandom and creator circle similar to Japanese Otakus. and yes, the thing spends way too much time on cosplay and conventions, where it certainly neglects a large portion of weebs who do not incline to going conventions.  

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Swampcon Replacement

While unfortunately we are not able to attend the Swampcon due to unexpected circumstance, this documentary, by Otaku, for Otaku, and about Otaku, has provided some context and depiction of American Otaku fandom and subculture (despite being slightly outdated and horrendous background music of course).

Particularly, the documentary centered its focus on American anime conventions, cosplay culture, and some other content regarding the foreign root of American fandom of anime. From its focus on American anime convention, the documentary mainly demonstrates how American anime conventions, different from Japanese Anime Convention portrayed in previous texts, serve a more social function in providing a major platform in real life for American anime and manga fans to not only share their common interests but also to build up their own small community. While it also presents that American Otaku are able to communicate and form their own small social circle online and occasionally gather in person, American Anime Convention is nevertheless one of the few main stage in which American anime and manga fans can obtained the sense of belonging through attending large conventions. Additionally, while Japanese Anime Conventions are centered in the commercialization of fandom productivity as parody literature or original fictional works created by small but numerous productive otaku circles/communities are sold on comic market, American anime convention is very much limited, as it is centered primarily on cosplaying, interpersonal interaction among otakus, and the selling of anime/manga/Japanese culture by-product. This difference shows how American fandom for anime, as a minor fandom attached to foreign cultural product, is less organic whereas American otakus seem to process a less productivity of anime elements and could be more accurately described as fandom or manic in a general sense.

In addition, centered its focus on cosplaying, the documentary demonstrates how cosplaying is essentially a performative act that very much demands skills and knowledge of the characters, where we see cosplayers devote skills and careful consideration to create the immersive experience within their costume where all side of the character shall be observable and faithful to the original, thus creating the hyperreality in the convention stage. Additionally, how cosplayers, despite of fearing their cosplay being judged by others, put themselves on stage to be criticized and judged by a panel of judges, is another demonstration of how American Otakus, despite their less productivity of the fictional content processed, able to elevate their shadow cultural capitals through authentic recreation of fictional content to demonstrate their expertise in the field of anime.

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Mar. 27 - Wandering Son (ep. 1,7,9,10)

I thought these four episodes of Aoki’s Wandering Son were really interesting. The anime questions the norms of society through the lens of children who desire to be the opposite gender. These few episodes show the challenges that these children face while growing up. As a boy who wants to dress as a girl, Shuichi is often shamed by society. After he musters courage and wears a girl school uniform, he is made fun of by his school mates. Other students give him labels such as “girly-man.” Within the school community, there is a stigma for being associated with Shuichi. For instance, when Chizuru walks to school with him, her friend Momo tries to pull her away from the “freak.” Being shunned by others is an example of punishment for not acting within one’s gender, as discussed by Butler.

The anime shows society’s contrasting attitude towards a female transgender and a male transgender. When Chizuru and later Takatsuki wears a male school uniform, the other students think they look cool. The teachers seem to allow it as well. However, when Shuichi wears a female school uniform, he is sent to the nurse’s office by the teacher and later sent home. This sentiment is reflected in Takatsuki as well. When Shuichi borrows Takatsuki’s uniform, she seems a little angry, thinking that Doi influenced him to dress up. But that’s contradictory, given that she herself wears a male school uniform to school. It is apparent then that people are more lenient towards females who become more male-like, but strict when it comes to males who become more female-like.

After watching this anime, I think it’s important realize the struggles that people who do not follow the gender binary face. Seeing as to how these children struggle with their identities since young, there should be more support systems in place for these people.

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The part regarding the difference in the treatment of Shuichi and Takaysuki is interesting, while some might say that it’s the manifestation of “patriarchy” society, me personally thinks this can be consider as a point emphasizing that despite social normative influnence in gender, biological facts matter in the historical construe of gender creation

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Wandering Son

Aoki’s Wandering Son presents some rare and interesting perspective regarding the challenge and the gender, identity crisis regarding social gender and sexual norm faced by sexually-confused and further LGBT community. Particularly, while presenting the common and expected stigma centered around transsexual behavior such as the explicit mockery and ill-treatment experienced by Shuichi after dressing in female uniform to school, it certainly placed more focus on the internal struggle of the characters in identifying and differentiating the concept of gender from the idea of sexuality. Shuichi, on one hand, different from Kinjirou from Genshiken, certainly not only want to dress as a girl but also want to “be a girl” through the act of dressing like a girl and mimicking girlish behavior. On the other hand, it is fair to say that Shuichi maintained a heterosexual orientation with his relationship with Takatsuki and Anna despite his exhibited femininity in acts that Anna particularly disapproved previously, and how he continues to use male subjective word in conversation with others. This discrepancy with Shuichi’s tendency to change his “gender” to female while maintaining a male heterosexual characteristics in different aspects can be related back to Butler’s writing, which differentiates gender, as an identification construed through performative act and reinforced by historical and cultural norm from sexuality, as a predetermined biological facility.  

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Aggretsuko

The animation certainly comes as a surprise as I was simply not expecting a short WEB animation to incorporate not only decent character development within the a relatively linear plot but also offers relevant and realistic depiction of the white-collar workplace culture. 

In the first season, with several characters introduced to the audience, the contrast and paradox among these characters provide audience with interesting insight. Particularly, throughout the three episodes of the first season, Retsuko is facing the conflict between herself and director Gori. In episode one, Gori picked on Retsuko, mocking and coercing her in serving tea for himself. Repeatedly, he brings out gender stereotype of woman as caregiver in justifying his obvious abuse in power and expressing how competent woman is more annoying. However, as she is not in any position or appropriate time, Retsuko did not fight back but rather ignore and continues her daily conduct. This, contrasting with both how Retsuko intentionally hiding her personal music taste and directly confront with Gori in the later episodes, demonstrates how gender stereotype, and further gender concept are not essential fact solely attributed to innate characteristics but rather a performative result rendered from repeated, gradual action and reinforced by historical perception as argued by Butler in Performative Act. 

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Sailor Moon

So, for starter, as a renown title and the pioneer of several prevalent anime genres nowadays, Sailor Moon is certainly a revolutionary anime that I never bother to pay attention to as it is too typical for me. And after watching the four episodes, well, let’s say there isn’t much improvement of my impression regarding the series. Nevertheless, relating to the reading there are still several interesting topics to talk about. 

As argued in the writting, Sailor Moon, as one of the typical example of “girl power”, is how the ideology of the third wave of feminism interacting with media context. Particularly, the text, while challenging the traditional heroine setting in the anime series as supportive character, does not abandon the traditional feminine stereotype. Not only the characters in the series are hyper-sexual in their physical appearance presented by the animator, the traditional feminine identity and behavioral characteristics are the keystone of the character development and plot dynamics within the series. Nevertheless, while the final conclusion offered in the article might be reasonable, the author seems to, while contributing her contemporary feminist critic in analyzing the text, ignores some important historical and cultural context when delivering the criticism regarding the paradox of girl power from a “western” centered perspective. Particularly, despite any ideological difference, speaking of how the sexualized female image contradicts the message of female empowerment in Sailor Moon despite the social-political context of Japan post the economic bubble collapse that causes growing acceptance and participation of female in various workforce, is simply incautious.  

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Genshiken second season

Genshiken Season 2 comparing with its predecessor has make a lot of changes. The visual aesthetics is certainly improved as it introduced more colorful filter and the new soundtrack is certainly more dynamic. On the other hand, while the second season continues to depict Otaku culture, the new season shifted its narrative around the character development of Hato Kenjiro to provide a detailed context of the growing yaoi content consumer and cross-dresser.

In episode 3, a psychological side of the effect of cross dressing is discussed. The audiences are presented with the imaginary feminine ego of Hato, who, throughout the episode, fantasize the interaction between Madarame and Hato himself with typical BL cliches. While this can be interpreted as a third person narrative created by Hato to fictionalize reality with meaningless yaoi elements similar to what we saw with Ogiue’s fantasy of Sasahara and Madarame, it can also be considered as a manifestation of the fictionalized sexuality of Hato similar to how Madarame struggled to talk with Saki in the last season. As argued by Seito in his writing that Otakus distance themselves from their sexual perversion through objectifying their sexual attraction in fictional context and shifting orientation of their sexual desire, Hato’s imaginary ego, born from Hato’s effort to fit in the fujoshi community, not only allows Hato to normalize his affinity with yaoi content but also separate his implicit, potential homosexual tendency from the reality within the realm of the simulacra. However, as presented in hato’s previous traumatic experience, the fictionalized sexuality does not always isolate from that of reality. In the conversation and interaction between Hato and Mardarame, we can see that Hato clearly develops an ambivalent feeling for Madamrame.  Different from his previous fantasy we can sense a genuine sense of affection within his interaction with Madarame. Nevertheless, while such feeling is certainly beyond the realm of heterosexual friendship, Hato chooses to desexualize this feeling for Madarame to maintain a normal friendship with Madarame. This again, serves as an example of how Otaku fictionalize sexuality from reality.  

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Genshiken pt2

The second part of the Genshiken continues its realistic depiction of Otaku lifestyle with more dramatic story conflict among characters. Additionally, the Psychopathology of Otaku by Saito provides additional analysis of Otaku behavior and characteristics from a psychological prospective, coupling with the character development and incidents displayed in Genshiken.

Particularly, the new character Chika Ogiue presents several theories proposed by Saito in his writing.  In episode 5, Chika as an indulgent yaoi consumer fantasizes the intimate sexual relationship between Sasahara and Madarame with detailed meditation of their character settings, and further drawing a short yaoi manga within a relatively central plot. This relates to Saito’s argument regarding the two characteristics of Otaku. First, how Chika, inspired by reality, swiftly transfer herself from a simple yaoi viewer to creator of fictional yaoi content, resembles the Saito’s theory of multiple orientation, a mental acuity that not only allow Otakus to flexibly view fictional context with totality as they switch from consumer to critic to producer but also give them the flexibility to modify reality as they are able to separate the fictional from the real while fully immerging in fictional context. Additionally, how Chika can be inspired by the normal reaction between Sasahara and Madarame, Tanaka and Kugayama to create typical yaoi fictional context demonstrates not only how familiarized Chika is with the fictional yaoi content but also the gained sexual sensibility.

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Genshiken 1

Genshiken by Mizushima is a rare and excellent text in providing a realistic and conclusive depiction of the Japanese Otaku fandom and lifestyle through the mild plot of the dramatic interaction between the Otaku members of the Genshiken and the newly admitted normal member Saki Kasukabe. Additionally, the series, providing a close depiction of the Otaku lifestyle and dramatic conflict among the Otaku, normal audience and commercial opportunist, is certainly relevant to the Cultural Economy of Fandom by Jack Fiske.

Particularly, the conflict between the Otaku members of Genshiken and Haraguchi from the anime and manga club resembles the distinction between fandom/subordinate culture and official/high culture. In episode 3, when Haraguchi talked with Sasahara, Haraguchi showed his disdain for Genshiken due to the club’s lack of meaningful or valuable activities. He called the drawing of Kugayama scribble, criticized Madarame for pretentious talk that lacks professional knowledge, and mocked Tanaka’s cosplay as something invaluable or unserious. Additionally, when talked about his contribution to the two clubs he joined, he considered as the editor offering criticism. While the disdain from Haraguchi clearly resembles Fiske’s argument of internal discrimination and hierarchy of fandom based on the amount of knowledge regarding the object of fandom, what makes Haraguchi different from the majority of members of Genshiken and the Otakus in general is how he treats anime and manga clubs, and anime fandom in general, with solely economic and productivity regards. As haraguchi’s acrimony for Genshiken are largely centered around the lack of professional skills, knowledge, and thus economically profitable productivity of the group, Haraguchi displaced his failure to understand the anime fandom as a popular culture driven by the demand for the cultural capital rather than the economic capital. His contemptuous demand for professional techniques, skills, knowledge, and formal, hierarchical relation to content creators, while might be sensible for commercialized authorship investment, contradicts with the popular culture fandom that demands few economic return but cultural capital and strengthening of fan’s cultural identity.